Water-key for brass musical instruments



(No Model.)

J. HEALD.

WATERKEY EUR BRASS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

No. 295,756. Patente-d Mm. 25, 1884;. v

WITNBSSES N. PETERS, Fnawunmgnpher. wa-hi nnnnnnnn C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HEALD, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACIIUSETTS.r

WATER-KEY FOR BRASS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,756, dated March 25, 1884:.

Application filed October 19, 1893. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I,`JOHN HEALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tater-Keys for Brass Musical Instruments7 of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to brass musical instruments; and it consists in an improved construction and arrangement of the water-key therefor, the object being to simplify the construction of such keys when they are adapted to be operated while the instrument is held to themouth of the player.

This invention is in the nature of an improvement upon that set forth in my Letters Patent dated October 3, 1882, to which reference may be had.

In the drawings forming part of this specication, Figure lis a side elevation of a brass musical instrument having a water-key applied thereto in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the water-key separate from the instrument.

In the drawings, which represent a cornet, Fig. l, m fw a c indicate certain of the usual air-tubes of the instrument, and d the pistontubes thereof. The piston-stems are indicated by o. The water-key b is provided with .the usual valvesfy/ y, which are adapted to close against suitable seats on the lower part of the tubes a a. The key b is pivoted on the instrument at e, and is provided with a spring, o, which holds the valves y against their seats. The shank of the water-key extends from its pivot-point e upward between the air-tube 'w and the-piston-tubes d, so as to be within the reach of the thumb of the players right hand, while he holds the latter in the usual playing position on the cornet with his fingers over the piston-stems n, his left hand being held in the usual position on the opposite side of the instrument. In my said patent the shank of the water-key extends only a short distance above its pivot-point, and has connected to it a link, which in turn is connected to the lower end of a iinger-lever, which is pivoted above the Water-key. This construction necessitates the employment of a link and lever in addition to the water-key, and involves a considerably greater expense in arranging the parts sothat the key can be operated without taking the .hands from a playing position than does my improved construction, herein shown and described, wherein the said link and lever are dispensed with by extending the shank of the water-key upward, as above described. Thus as fast as there is any inconvenient accumulation of water in the tubes a a, the player, without removing his hands from the instrument, or the latter from his mouth, can operate the water-key b by pressing the thumb of his right hand upon the handle part c thereof.

What I claim as my invention is- In a brass musical instrument, the waterkey b, having its shank extending upward from its pivot-point and terminating at or near the sides of the piston-tubes d, substantially as set forth.

JOHN HEALD. Witnesses:

J. D. GARFIELD, A. H. MARTIN. 

